Tisa, designed by Mitja Miklavčič and released by Typotheque in 2008, is a contemporary serif typeface optimized for digital and screen readability. With its large x-height, open counters, and sturdy serifs, Tisa bridges the gap between traditional book typography and modern web design. It’s part of the larger Tisa superfamily, which includes Tisa Sans and other variants.
Why Designers Love It
Designers love Tisa for its versatility and legibility across mediums. Unlike many classic serifs that feel too delicate for small screens, Tisa maintains clarity on digital displays without sacrificing warmth. Its humanist touch and balanced proportions make it equally suitable for editorials, corporate branding, and long-form web content.
7 Fonts Similar to Tisa
1. Merriweather (Free Alternative)
- Style: Contemporary serif
- Why It’s Similar: Like Tisa, it was designed for screen legibility with large x-height.
- Key Difference: Slightly more compact letterforms and less refinement.
- Price & Availability: Free, Google Fonts.
2. Skolar
- Style: Contemporary serif
- Why It’s Similar: Shares robust serifs and open counters, designed for editorial use.
- Key Difference: Skolar is more academic in tone, with sharper serifs.
- Price & Availability: Paid, Rosetta Type.
3. FF Tisa (Tisa’s sibling)
- Style: Contemporary serif
- Why It’s Similar: The FontFont release of Tisa itself, almost identical to the original.
- Key Difference: Distributed by Monotype instead of Typotheque.
- Price & Availability: Paid, Monotype.
4. Adelle
- Style: Slab-inspired transitional serif
- Why It’s Similar: Shares sturdy construction and high readability in editorial contexts.
- Key Difference: Adelle has a slab-like solidity compared to Tisa’s softer touch.
- Price & Availability: Paid, TypeTogether.
5. Charis SIL (Free Alternative)
- Style: Transitional serif
- Why It’s Similar: Designed for readability and multilingual use like Tisa.
- Key Difference: More utilitarian in style, lacks Tisa’s refined digital polish.
- Price & Availability: Free, SIL International.
6. Source Serif Pro (Free Alternative)
- Style: Transitional serif
- Why It’s Similar: Open counters and screen-optimized proportions echo Tisa.
- Key Difference: Slightly more geometric and less humanist.
- Price & Availability: Free, Adobe/Google Fonts.
7. Minion 3
- Style: Transitional serif
- Why It’s Similar: Both serve well in editorial design, with humanist qualities.
- Key Difference: Minion is rooted more deeply in classical book typography.
- Price & Availability: Paid, Adobe Originals.
Visual Comparison
| Font Name | Preview |
|---|---|
| Tisa | Tisa |
| Merriweather | Merriweather |
| Skolar | Skolar |
| FF Tisa | FF Tisa |
| Adelle | Adelle |
| Charis SIL | Charis SIL |
| Source Serif Pro | Source Serif Pro |
| Minion 3 | Minion 3 |
Recommendation Summary Table
| Alternative | Similarity Score | Best For | Price & Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merriweather | 94% | Free web & app typography | Free (Google Fonts) |
| Skolar | 92% | Academic, editorial projects | Paid (Rosetta Type) |
| FF Tisa | 98% | Direct match for Tisa (FontFont release) | Paid (Monotype) |
| Adelle | 89% | Corporate branding, editorial | Paid (TypeTogether) |
| Charis SIL | 85% | Multilingual and open-source work | Free (SIL) |
| Source Serif Pro | 87% | Digital-first publishing | Free (Adobe/Google) |
| Minion 3 | 84% | Classic book typography | Paid (Adobe Originals) |
Conclusion
Tisa has become a modern serif classic thanks to its ability to balance digital clarity and humanist warmth. If you’re looking for free screen-optimized alternatives, Merriweather and Source Serif Pro are excellent options. For professional projects, Skolar and Adelle offer sturdier editorial tones. Meanwhile, FF Tisa gives you the closest commercial version, and Minion 3 provides a timeless bookish feel.
Typeface Similar to Font 